Over 2,000 participants, record 16 civilian contingents at SG50 NDP
Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen interacts with participants from the Vintage Parade segment of this year's National Day Parade. Photo: Ooi Boon Keong
SINGAPORE — A record 16 civilian contingents will be a part of this year’s National Day Parade (NDP), representing various social and economic groups. Among the 16 include contingents from DBS Bank, Kopitiam and ComfortDelGro.
A total of 37 contingents will participate in the Parade and Ceremony segment, which will be led by 34-year-old Parade Commander Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Alvin Tijoe.
Set to be the biggest NDP yet, this year’s parade will be at two venues the Padang and the Marina Bay floating Platform with elements of the parade to take to the streets between the two sites.
Over 2,000 partipants have been preparing for Singapore’s main jubilee event, spending over 200 hours training, with nine weekday training sessions and 16 weekend rehearsals.
During Saturday’s (July 4) rehearsal session, Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen visited with some of the participants.
Despite giving up many weekends for preparing for the parade, which also coincides with the fasting month for the Muslim participants, Dr Ng said: “I think there is real pride and real love for the country … (It is) very gratifying and very cheery that you can see this kind of spirit among NDP participants.”
